Family Portrait Month: Marketing Materials

Fpm_posterWe want to help you make the most out of your Family Portrait Month promotion. The resources in this section will help you do just that!

Here, you’ll find a wealth of marketing tips, written resources, and real-world information on how specific photographers have used Family Portrait Month to benefit their marketing program and improve their profitability. Log in once you have your password (received in an e-mail after your donation to PPA Charities is processed).

GENERAL INFO

  • The only requirement is to donate at least $25 to PPA Charities for each family portrait session occurring during October. Otherwise, you are free to decide how much to contribute—an entire session fee, part of a session fee, a percentage of each sale, or a specified amount of $25 or more. You can even accept donations for Operation Smile year-round, not just in October.
  • The marketing content in this section includes ideas and examples of information you can use and what has worked for others.
  • You will be notified when additional marketing content is added to the download area.
  • You will receive PPA Charities (PPACH) and Family Portrait Month news through a periodic PPACH newsletter and posts to the PPA Charities Blog.
  • Your studio’s information will be listed on www.familyportraitmonth.com, on Family Portrait Month materials, and on Operation Smile’s promotional materials and Web site (www.operationsmile.org).
  • You will have access to special offers made by interested industry vendors as they become available.

MARKETING WEBINARS

Learn how to make the most out of PPA Charities’ Family Portrait Month promotion from the these hour-long Webinars:

MARKETING CARD TEMPLATES

Fisktaylor_3 Several photographers have generously designed and donated card templates to help speed your marketing efforts. Simply download your favorite, then add your own photographs and back copy, and you’re on your way.

  • Mary Fisk-Taylor
  • Charlene Mackay
  • Laura Novak
  • Angela Weedon

View Marketing Card Gallery

Download Adobe Indesign Templates:

Download Templates as pdf files:

MARKETING IDEAS

Smile_card_v_2 Spark your fund-raising creativity for the 2008 Family Portrait Month—see how top contributors have used their ingenuity to benefit Operation Smile and increase their own studio profits.

Use “Smile Cards” to Raise Funds and Gain Attention
Want a basic year-round fundraiser that will not only benefit Operation Smile, but also raise community awareness of your studio?  Try selling “Smile Cards.” 

Smile Cards are folded stationary notes with a favorite image from a client’s session on the outside, blank on the inside, and with your studio’s logo and the Operation Smile logo on the back. Simply sell the cards in a pack of 10 for a predetermined price (Dallas photographer Angela Weedon, the originator of the Smile Card concept, sells them for $15 per pack—Weedon’s studio generates over $5,000 per year on this fundraiser alone!), and donate all proceeds to Operation Smile through the Family Portrait Month campaign.

You can choose to print the cards in-house with your own card stock, or use a favorably priced new offering from Marathon Press. The back of the card features the Operation Smile logo and this statement: Sales of this card benefit Operation Smile (operationsmile.org)

Use these Smile Card Templates [.5MB] to create your cards.

To order Smile Card stock from Marathon, click here.

Read more here. (pdf file)

Terry Farmer Partners with Local Dentists
Illinois photographer Terry Farmer became the top contributor in the 2007 Family Portrait Month by creating a win-win marketing partnership with local dentists that reaped rewards for his family portrait business. Learn more by clicking here. (pdf file)

Laura Novak Raises Funds Through Halloween Fun
Delaware photographer Laura Novak opened her studio up for Halloween minishoots. By partnering with other local businesses to create buzz in her community and utilizing the press to spread the word about her promotion, she was able to donate a significant amount from the session fees paid at this special event.

Charlene McKay Introduces Her New Studio
To help build her new studio’s clientele base, El Dorado Hills photographer Charlene McKay sent direct marketing pieces into her community, advertising her partnership with Operation Smile. She offered discounted session fees during Family Portrait Month, a portion of which was donated back to the charity. The offer included a complimentary 16x20 inch print to all October sessions.

Sandy Puc’ Gets an Early Start Through Her Studio Newsletter
Colorado photographer Sandy Puc’ utilized early promotion of Family Portrait Month in her newsletters to generate community awareness. This motivated her clients to get in for their holiday portraits. She donated a portion of her session fees during the month of October.

OTHER MARKETING RESOURCES

The following marketing support items are available for download and use. Click individual items below to download specific files..

Donate

Read Our Blog

Participate in Family Portrait Month

Professional Photographers of America
As the philanthropic arm of Professional Photographers of America (PPA), PPA Charities allows PPA to become a force for positive change, making a difference in the lives of others.